1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a self-sealing reagent container, and a reagent container system particularly well-suited for dispensing and preserving chemical or biochemical reagents for use in an automated analyzer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An immunoassay is a well known laboratory method used to determine the amount of an analyte in a sample such as plasma or urine. It is based on the interaction of antibodies with antigens, and because of the degree of selectivity for the analyte (either antigen or antibody), an immunoassay can be used to quantitatively determine very low concentrations of drugs, hormones, polypeptides, or other analyte compounds found in a test sample. For many years, immunoassays were performed by hand by trained laboratory technicians.
Recently, many companies have begun producing automated immunoassay analyzers. Automating the immunoassay procedures can be onerous because of the large number of steps needed to be executed. For example, in a conventional scheme, a sample is mixed with a reagent and a solid support having a bound antigen or antibody, the sample is incubated such that the corresponding antigen or antibody in the sample and a labeled antigen or antibody provided in the reagent can be bound to the antigen or antibody on the solid support, then the solid support is thoroughly washed and the label (fluorescent, radioactive, chemiluminescent, or the like) is detected by an appropriate mechanism, and finally the analyte of interest (antigen or antibody) is quantified from the detected label.
Most of today's automated immunoassay analyzers are designed for "walk away" operation, where the technician loads sample containing tubes onto a carousel and presses a start button. Thereafter, the automated immunoassay analyzer mixes appropriate reagents (often stored aboard the analyzer) with the sample, performs incubating and washing operations, detects the label, and computes the quantity of analyte in the sample from the detected label and stored calibration curves. The entire operation is typically done under computer control, and in some automated immunoassay analyzers, bar coding is used to identify the sample under test. The results of the immunoassays are typically output onto computer paper for inspection by the technician, or monitored and displayed in real time as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,726(Babson et al).
One conventional technique and system for automated immunoassay, described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,726(Babson et al.), includes means for selecting a reagent involving a reagent carousel with an associated bar code reader, where the selecting means can include means for periodically determining a position for each reagent on the reagent carousel. The reagent carousel described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,726 has slots each of which holds a reagent bottle, and each reagent bottle has bar coded identifying means to allow identification of the bottle's contents.
A known reagent vessel and sealing mechanism sold by Organon Teknika involves side-by-side reagent compartments in wedge shapes that are fitted with a common reagent vessel cover including an access hole to each compartment. Track means are integrally formed on the cover to hold and guide a slidable lid back and forth across the access holes to cover the access holes, or expose same through alignment with via holes in the lid. The lid loosely sits flat on the cover surface in this device. The lid is attached loosely to the cover surface to reduce friction during movement of the lid back-and-forth over the cover surface. This loose attachment of the lid precludes tight sealing of the contents of the reagent vessel. External force must be provided to push the lid to an open position by sliding it along the cover track until holes in the lid align with access holes in the reagent vessel cover. After completing withdrawal of reagent, the return force after opening the lid is supplied by a metal coil spring which moves the lid back into the closed position (i.e., misaligning the cover and lid holes).
Another known reagent vessel and sealing mechanism sold by Abott Laboratories involves providing an individual flip-up hinged cover for each compartment opening of the reagent vessel. The flip up lids are living hinges that each involve a cap that pivots about a hinge adjacent the reagent compartment access opening such that the cap can be translated through an arc extending from a horizontal position directly over the reagent compartment opening to an upright position, and back. These lids require an external force to be pushed upward to the upright position and thus exposing the reagent compartment opening. A reagent withdrawing device can be inserted through the opening to extract reagent, and once the reagent withdrawing device clears the access opening of the reagent compartment, the lid partly descend backs over the opening on its own accord by virtue of the living hinge. However, an external force is needed to tightly reseal the lid on the mouth of the opening. The provision of such individual living hinges for each reagent compartment opening is relatively complicated and expensive.